Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has rejected the demand of Telangana Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) for revision of their salaries. The CM reasoned that pay revision was not possible at a time when the RTC was facing financial crisis and saddled with Rs.2,800 crore debts. He termed the demands of RTC unions as `unjustified’ and `unwarranted’,

The RTC employees’ unions had served a strike notice on the management on Thursday last. The CM had asked the cabinet sub-committee headed by finance minister Etela Rajender, transport minister P Mahender Reddy and others to look into their demands. The panel submitted.

its report on Tuesday night and after which the CM held a review meeting with the committee members and officials.

On the demands of RTC employees, the committee members opined it was not possible to increase the salaries of RTC employees as the TRS government had given 44 per cent fitment a year ago and about 4,200 contract employees were made permanent. “If the demands of the unions are agreed, the RTC management will have to bear an additional financial burden of Rs 1,400 crore a year on salaries in addition to the existing Rs 2,400 crore,” the members told the CM.

KCR expressed unhappiness over the “unjust demands” of unions. “The RTC had incurred Rs 400 crore loss in 2014-15, Rs 776 crore in 2015-16, Rs 750 crore in 2016-17 and Rs 680 crore loss in 2017-18,” the CM said. The employees’ unions have to introspect on their demand,” he said.